Beverage device



Sept. 28, 1948.

F. P. ALLEN BEVERAGE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 29, 1944INVENTOR. F. Pi A MEN.

4 TTORNEV Spt. 28, 1948.

F. P. ALL-EN BEVERAGE DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2 9, 1944INVENTOR. E LLEN A TTORNEK se tzs, 1948. v F. P. ALLEN 2,450,177

' BEVERAGEDEYICE Filed'May 29, 1944 1 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ZNVENTOR. F. ALLE N.-

ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,450,17?BEVERAGE DEVICE Francis Parker Allen, Beaumont, iex.

Application Ma 29, 1944; Serial No. 537,815

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a material treating device for subjecting amaterial to immersion in a liquid for a predetermined time whereby thematerial, the liquid, or both, are modified in a desired manner.

The invention is of particular utility in the brewing of beverages, suchas tea or coffee, and is described herein in such environment in itspreferred embodiment, although it is to be understood that the device ofthe invention is not confined to such use but rather comprehends anyutilitarian practice in which a material is subjected to immersion for apredetermined period of time.

L'he primary object of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed that is simple, is inexpensive to produce and to operate andis easy to maintain in an eflicient operating condition.

Another object is to provide a device that is automatic in operation,yet is free from mechanisins that may fail under operating conditions.

Still another object is to provide a device, including relativelytelescopic containers of which the outermost is imperforate and adaptedto con tain the quantity of liquid to enter into the brew ing process.

It is also an object to provide means for access of the liquid to theinterior of the inner of two containers as such container movesdownwardly into the liquid in the outer container, such access being ata predetermined rate which determines the period of immersion ofmaterial positioned within the inner container.

Another object is to provide a floatable member adapted to be positionedwithin the inner container, to carry the material to be subected toimmersion and to rotate about an axis and lift the material from withinthe submerging medium after a predetermined period of immersion of suchmaterial.

Referring more specifically to the device of the invention as utilizedin the production of a bev erage such as cofiee or tea, it is stillanother ob e'ct to provide a novel method of producing such beverage.

Another object is to produce a beverage-by subjecting the beverageproducing material to an upwere and circulating movement of liquid uponcompletion of the brewing process.

A still further object is to remove the beverage producing material fromthe liquid after such material has been subjected to the action of suchliquid for apredetermined period of time.

The foregoing objects, together with other general and specific objects,will be more fully apparent from the following description considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings inwhich:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the outer of imperiorate container whichis provided with a handle, the handle being shown displaced sidewardlyfrom its attached position in order to more clearly illustrate theembodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the inner or perforate container whichis movable telescopically within the imperforate container shown in Fig.1.

Fig. 3 is a view taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 2 and showing the floatablemember positioned within the perforate container and immersing thematerial.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the fioatable member, the view beingtaken on line 4-4 in Fig- 3:

Fig. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram of the electric circuit of thedevice or the invention.

In the drawings the numeral I designates an imperforate containerprovided with a spout 2 irom which liquid may be poured. To provide forheating a liquid within said container, an immersion or radiant type ofheater (not shown) is provided at the lower end of the container, as inthe base portion 3 thereof. This heater element is supplied withelectrical energy through conductors 4, 5 and 6 which enter the handle 1and which are interconnected through switch 8 to a source of currentsupplied through contact prongs 9 and ID of plug II.

The switch Bis of the plunger actuated type and includes the plunger l5which enters the opening 16 in the wall of the container I when thehandle 1 is in normal attached position. It is to be understood that theswitch 8, the interconnectingwires, and the plug [0 are suitably encasedwithin the handle 1 in a manner well known in the art.

As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 5, the switch 8 is normally inoft position as under the influence of a spring [2. It seems apparenthowever that when the plunger I5 is moved to the extreme leftandthereafter moves to the right, by steps, under the influence ofspring l2, the high and low heating coils are energized successively Theutility of this sequence of operation will be more fully apparent bydescription of the mode of operation of the invention hereiii-after morefully described.

InFig; 2 there is shown a second container 1', which may be termed thebrewing container, having a spout 2 which are respectively of the sameconfiguration as the container l and the spout 2 shown in Fig. 1. Anopening 13 is provided in the container 1 and such opening ispreferably, though not necessarily, provided in the bottom of thecontainer as shown.

The upper portion of the container wall opposite the spout 2' isprovided with an inwardly extending groove M which decreases in depthdownwardly and which serves a purpose that will presently appear.

On the inner wall of the container l is provided a plurality ofvertically spaced ledges or supports ll, i8 and i9, any one of which isengageable by a projection 28 (Fig. 3) extending outwardly from thecircular end face 2! of a floatable member 22. This fioatable member maybe lowered into the container l as by the ring or handle 23 thereon.

The member 22 is termed iloatable as the upper portion thereof comprisesa sealed chamber 24 having at its top a small Weight member 25. Thechamber 24 is of such size that the member 22 will float when liquidrises thereabout to a predetermined level as. for example, to theelevation indicated by the dotted line 26 of Fig. 3. Preferably pressurein the chamber 24 is somewhat below atmospheric so that such pressure issubstantially atmospheric pressure at the operating temperatures towhich this member is subjected when in use. This feature minimizes thetendency of the walls of the chamber to bulge outwardly when in normaluse.

The walls of the member 22 below the chamber 24 are perforated at 21 anda transverse wall 28 is provided to form chambers 29 and 39 in thisportion of the member. One end of these chambers is closed by the endface 2! while the other end is closable by the circular cover 3! whichfits slidably upon the end of the member 22. Chambers 29 and iii! arethus adapted to receive coffee, tea or other material to be immersedwithin a liquid for a predetermined period of time and cover or closuremember at permits ready access to these chambers to admit such materialor to remove same therefrom. It seems apparent that, if desired, the endface 2! and/or the cover member 3| may be provided with openings such asthose shown at 2'! to enhance movement of liquid to and from thechambers 22 and iii].

In the operation of the embodiment of the invention as above described,a desired quantity of liquid is first placed in the container I.Likewise, a quantity of coffee, tea or other material to be treated is paced in chambers 29 and 20 of the member 22 and confined therein by theclosure or cover member 3!. Preferably. though not necessarily. themater al is equally divided between the chambers 29 and 30.

The floatable member 22 is then lowered into the container I by means ofthe handle 23 until the proiection 26 engages the desired support l1, isor l9 whereby such member is supported at a desired elevation wit in thecontainer I. The cover 32 (Fig. 2) is then placed upon the container l.

The container is next inserted into the top of container l, the plungerit being pushed to the left whereby the high heating coil is energizedand heating of the liquid in the container l is begun. The container lis permitted to rest upon the liquid whereupon flow of the liquidthrough the opening !3 is initiated. This flow continues as thecontainer l sinks in the liquid due to the force of gravity. At the sametime the temperature of the body of liquid rises until a desirable rangeof temperatures is reached as the liquid enters the chambers 29 and 30and treatment of the material therein is begun. Such treatment continuesas the liquid level rises about the fioatable member 22.

When the liquid level rises to the level indicated by the line 26, themember 22 is buoyed upwardly and the projection 25] is lifted fromengagement with its support. Due to the weight 25 the center of gravityof the buoyant member 22 is above the liquid level 26 and hence themember is extremely unstable when buoyed up by the liquid. As a resultof this instability the Weight 25 causes the member to quickly rotate toa position in which the chambers 29 and 3% are uppermost. The member 22is so proportioned that the chambers 29 and 39 are thus rotated out ofthe liquid and above the surface of the-liquid. Hence the materialwithin such chambers is removed from immersion and the treatment of suchmaterial is terminated. 'This is of advantage because the material isnot permitted to brew or steep for too long a period but isautomatically removed after a predetermined period.

As the container 5 approaches its lowermost position and after thefloatable member 22 rotates to lift the chambers 22 and 39 from withinthe body of liquid, the end of the plunger l5 which has been pressingagainst the outer Wall of the container l enters the groove M in thewall thereof. The resulting movement of the plunger deenergizes the highheating coil and energizes the low heating coil. Inasmuch as the brewingor treatment operation is complete at this time, it is necessary onlythat enough heat be supplied to maintain the beverage, or other contentsof the device, at a desired temperature. This is accomplished throughthe energization of the low heating coil in the manner just described.

The member 22 may be removed from within the container 5' wheneverdesired, either before or after the liquid is Withdrawn from the device.This member being inverted relative to the position shown in Fig. 3removal is effected by grasping the handle or ring at which is attachedto the member at a point substantially opposite the handle or ring 23.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the inventioncomprehends a device which is fully automatic and which avoidsmechanisms that are apt to get out of order. Desired and accuratecorrelation of the rate of heating, the rate of rise of liquid withinthe container 1 and the position of the floatable member within thecontainer may readily be attained. Any desired number of supports, shownas ll, l8, and [9, may be used and such supports will be suitably spacedto provide for predetermined quantities of liquid to be used, it beingcontemplated that in any event desired uniformity in treatment will beefiected. If, for example. coffee or tea is being prepared, the spacingof the supports may be for l-cup or Z-cup increments.

While the invention has been described as in use with an electric orother self-contained heating unit, it seems obvious that the containerhaving the liquid therein may be placed over a suitable source of heatsuch as a gas or other fuel burner or stove and the brewing or treatingaccomplished. One of the principal features of advantage is theautomatic removal of the material from the liquid after a predeterminedinterval so as to prevent overbrewing or treating and to obtain themaximum of advantageous results.

While it seems apparent, attention is directed to the fact that, duringthe treatment process, liquid rises about the material within thechambers 29 and 30. Furthermore, the liquid entering the opening l3tends to produce some agitation within the rising liquid to supplementconvection agitation thereof. Each of these inherent actions enhancesintimate contact of the liquid with each particle of material within thechambers 29 and 30 and, at the same time, impaction of the material isavoided. Hence, eflicient and uniform treatment without overtreatment iseffected and the objects of the invention are accomplished.

The invention claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising an imperforate containerto receive a liquid, a multiple range heating unit in the lower portionof said container, switch means for said unit including an actuatingmember proximate the side wall of said container, a perforate containeradapted to enter said imperforate container and engage said actuatingmember and energize the unit at a high heat rate as said last mentionedcontainer moves telescopically under gravity within the imperioratecontainer, and means in the perforate container for containing amaterial to be treated by immersion as heated liquid rises therein, saidperforate container including means for operating said switch toenergize the heating unit at a lower rate as the container approachesits lowermost position of travel.

2. A device of the class described comprising a Lfilst container and asecond container telescopically movable therein, there being at leastone opening in said second container to admit liquid thereto from withinthe first container, a fioatable member having a perforate chamber formaterial to be immersed, said member being constructed and arranged tobe unstable when floated with the perforate chamber lowermost, and meansfor supporting said fioatable member at a selected level within saidsecond container.

3. A device of the class described comprising a container adapted toreceive liquid at a predetermined rate and means for supporting aquantity of material to be immersed within the liquid entering saidcontainer, said means comprising a fioatable member havin a foraminatedchamber therein for material, the center of gravity of said member beingdisplaced to 'one side of said chamber so that when buoyantly liftedwith the chamber lowermost the member is operable to lift the materialfrom within the liquid,

4. In a device of the class described, a fioatable member comprising aperforate chamber and a sealed chamber in side by side relation with animperforate wall therebetween, said perforate chamber being adapted toreceive a material to be treated by a liquid entering the perforationstherein and said sealed chamber being of a size to support the member ina body of liquid with the perforate chamber above the surface of theliquid, and a weight member secured to the wall of the sealed chamberopposite said imperforate wall rendering said fioatable member stable inthe body of liquid only when said perforate chamber is uppermost.

FRANCIS PARKER ALLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS N1 imber Name Date 1,029,939 McLean June 18, 19121,177,082 Antisell Mar, 28, 1916 1,362,644 Sprague Dec. 21, 19201,956,067 Hertz Apr. 24, 1934 2,065,149 Newman Dec. 22, 1936 2,079,603Davis May 11, 1937 2,209,831 Schurig July 30, 1940 2,343,108 ApplemanFeb. 22, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 381,950 Germany Sept.27, 1923

